Would you be prepared to interpret the signals of the Guardia Civil?

One of the most unsettling moments on the road is when we see a car of the Guardia Civil parked on the shoulder. Frequently, this is due to the fact that there is a mishap on the road and they are regulating traffic. However, many drivers do not know how to interpret these signals correctly.

This can be a serious problem, as the indications may tell us to leave the lane, to stop or to continue on our way. Therefore, a misreading of this command can lead to an incident. Therefore, today we are going to explain the main signals that you can receive from the Guardia Civil on the road.

The main signs of the Guardia Civil

Arm raised vertically

This is one of the most frequent signals made by this security officer. With it, he orders all vehicles coming in front to stop. It must always be performed unless it cannot be done safely.

Arms extended horizontally

With this signal, you force all drivers approaching the officer in one of the directions marked by the arms to stop. Thus, no matter what the direction of travel is, if you signal in this way.

Arm moving vertically

It is indicated that all cars approaching the agent in the direction in which his arm is pointing must slow down.

Raised arm pointing

The safety officer indicates that drivers in the lane they are occupying must vacate the lane. This signal is usually produced when there has been an accident or other incident in the near future. It usually occurs on highways or roads with more than one lane.

Vertically extended arm with flashlight

This signal is very similar to the one mentioned above. However, this is usually produced in contexts of lower visibility and is therefore reinforced by the presence of a flashlight.

The reasons for these signals

To find out how well drivers know about these signs, we contacted the professionals at Autoescuela Sinai, a road safety training center in Seville. As they acknowledge, this is an important point in the students' learning process: "Within the training offered in the classroom, one of the most important topics is signaling. We explain to the students the different types of arm signals and others made by agents, both from the Guardia Civil and other security forces".

However, it is also true that these instructions tend to be forgotten over time: "A large number of drivers forget all kinds of traffic regulations as soon as they obtain their driving license, among which are the signals of the agents". "Whenever the gestural signals are made by an agent of the authority or any of those named in Art. 143. 4, they prevail over any other signaling," he adds.

Finally, from Autoescuela Sinaí they detail that the form and meaning of the signals and orders of the agents of the different security forces "will be adjusted to what is established in the official Catalog of traffic signals". "In the absence of traffic officers or to assist them, and under established circumstances and conditions, the Military Police may regulate traffic. In addition, road works personnel and those accompanying vehicles under special transport regime may regulate the passage of vehicles through the use of vertical signs R-2 and R-400″.

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